Port Angeles tanker crash prompts 'Do Not Drink' order for residents

Isabella Breda, The Seattle Times on Jul 20, 2025

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PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles is asking residents not to drink tap water after a tanker truck spilled fossil fuels in a tributary of the city's drinking water source.

The notice applies to all homes and businesses connected to the city water system, both inside and outside city limits.

The PetroCard fuel tanker truck crashed Friday off Highway 101 and the state Department of Ecology estimates it spilled some 3,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel into Indian Creek. The state said the majority is gasoline.

Dead juvenile salmon, trout, lamprey and invertebrates were visible in Indian Creek and the Elwha River on Saturday. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe collected samples for testing.

The Indian Creek basin feeds into the Elwha River, which is the city's main source of potable water. The city shut off its water treatment operations after the crash.

Paul Burke, senior chemist at Libby Environmental, was running water samples in a mobile lab parked outside the Clallam County courthouse Saturday. Libby Environmental was analyzing samples including the source water used by the city of Port Angeles, according to the state Department of Health.

Water testing has been ongoing. Some of the tests involve an out-of-state review that is taking longer than expected, according to the city. Meanwhile, the city's water reservoirs have depleted to critical levels.

Additional test results were expected late Sunday or Monday.

The city says only bottled water should be used until further notice for pets, drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice and food preparation.

Tap water is safe for bathing, showering, flushing toilets and laundry, the city said Sunday in a news release, though the release urged residents not to ingest water while showering. The water cannot be treated by boiling, freezing, filtering, adding chlorine or other disinfectants, or by letting water stand, the city said, as the potential contamination is chemical-related, not bacterial.

The city was distributing bottled water on Sunday until 6 p.m. at Civic Field at 307 South Race St. and Shane Park at 613 South G St. Supplies are limited based on household size. Deliveries were being prioritized for Olympic Medical Center and other critical facilities, per Port Angeles officials.

On Sunday morning, the city reported significant traffic congestion at both locations" and offered "limited" potable water at two more locations, where those impacted "may bring food-grade containers (such as water jugs and water bottles)" to be filled:

* Salt Creek Recreation Area: 3506 Camp Hayden Road, Port Angeles

* Dungeness Recreation Area: 554 Voice of America W. Road, Sequim

"We bought water from Costco yesterday, but clearly not enough for the whole town," Port Angeles Mayor Kate Dexter said. "We are grateful to the folks who have stepped in to help.

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Seattle Times staff reporter Conrad Swanson contributed to this report.